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When my friend Jane invited me to try a hot yoga class, I hesitated. I thought yoga was for ‘other’ people. You know, the ‘yogi’ kind who sits with her legs crossed in full lotus, inhaling incense and exhaling ‘ommmmms.’

I often passed our local yoga studio. Students emerged sipping coconut water and carrying yoga mats color coordinated with their outfits. I could practically see the wellness bursting from their pores.

I wanted that kind of harmony in my life, but I was intimidated by yoga divas. Here I was, a Starbucks-sipping mom whose toughest workout was doing five loads of laundry back-to-back. How could I compete with perfectly toned bodies that could stretch into pretzel-like poses I could achieve only by breaking bones?

When we entered, the room was hot and humid—conditions that seemed more conducive to cultivating orchids than exercise. I padded barefoot across the bamboo floor and laid down my mat.

“Namaste.” The teacher bowed. I glanced nervously at Jane. She gave me a reassuring smile that said, ‘Go with the flow’ which, in hot yoga terms, means, ‘Get ready to sweat.’

Before long, I found myself breathing deeply and moving in a relaxing rhythm that gave me sudden insight into what Jane had meant. I also found myself standing in a pool of sweat—which bothered me, because it wasn’t mine.

I lifted my towel and something tumbled to the floor. To my horror, there lay my extra pair of panties, in all their white cotton glory, reflected in a wall mirror that spanned so far across the room I could make out distant galaxies. I shoved them under my waistband, hoping no one had noticed.

Fortunately, everyone was lost in pose, including the woman next to me handstanding on one finger. Nobody cared about my undies or whether I tumbled out of pose. Yoga was about expanding your boundaries—and mine were stretching to Canada.

An hour later, every muscle, joint and internal organ in my body had been downward dogged. I thought I’d have to crawl out on my hands and knees.

Still, I felt rejuvenated.

Hot yoga taught me to let go of tension, self-doubt and inhibitions.

Who knew that by letting go of my underwear, I’d find my inner yogi?

Namaste.

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This is hilarious! I bought a yoga DVD and still haven’t tried it. One of these days. Your undies falling out reminds me of a similar story I have. Maybe I’ll have to write it for my blog. The stretching sounds okay, but really, hot humid room? That sounds terrible. I live in Nebraska. Hot and humid is one temperature and windy and freaking cold is the other. I’ll remember to avoid hot yoga. Air conditioning is where it’s at for me!!

“Are we going for yoga or a colonoscopy?”—-Ha, loved that! What a funny post. I do yoga, but only in the privacy of my own home. Your post gives me more reasons to continue to do so. At least the sweat is my own…

I am still laughing! I would have been mortified to drop my panties in yoga class. I have never done hot yoga but decided a couple of years ago to do a lengthy advanced yoga class, forgetting to bring a towel with me. Before long my entire mat was wet (my sweat but I still didn’t like it) and I could no longer hold my position as I kept sliding off my mat. The room was packed and I was in the middle of it so no way to escape. Sometimes you just have to go with the flow. 🙂

Really enjoyed your yoga experience. I recently contemplated trying yoga. I wanted to improve my core. The only core I have been familiar with for the last thirty plus years, would be apple. So, decided to have one a day. Who knows?

Are we going for yoga or a colonoscopy? Hilarious! You do have to get used to hot yoga – the whole everyone is dripping sweat is quite alarming the first time you go. I haven’t had to worry about my underwear falling out though – that’s a new one!

I laughed when I read your query: “Are we going for yoga or a colonoscopy?” I have books on yoga, exercises on yoga, but I just can’t get motivated to join a yoga group. Part of the problem is that there are so many different types that I’m not sure which one would be the best fit. I’m glad you found one that works for you … and provides us with a few chuckles as well. 😆

I’ve been doing a yoga video for the past 2 years now. Same one, over and over, but I like it. Like you, I pictured yoga as for “the others,” you know, bottled water chugging California types 😉 But I shut up real quick about that, because I love yoga.

Being a happy yogi (and a sipper of Starbucks) I appreciated this post. I l o v e yoga, but keep the window open and turn on the air conditioning! Not only is hot yoga too…hot, but the room also stinks.